Kochi City Transportation

[mohammedirshad06]

Tripunithara to have a new Bus station adjacent to its Railway station with a widen road corridor. The 64 crore Rs project is one of the ambitious of the town. Rs 1 crore is alloted for the primary works.

A new ROB at Eroor and new parking grounds will come up in the town

[mohammedirshad06]

The KSRTC Thiru-Kochi service is entering its second year of operation but it seems to be facing many hurdles and losing its popularity. Though there were moves by the former government to start 100 more Thiru-Kochi services, the decision seems to have been scuttled. KSRTC had decided to roll out 100 buses in Kochi and the fund for purchasing them was earmarked in the last budget presented by the former government.

Just an administrative order would have facilitated the introduction of more buses. “The government has decided to operate 50 more buses but it will take at least three or four months,” an official with KSRTC said. “According to the government the delay in getting the bodies of the buses built is delaying the allotment of more buses,” he said.

Moreover, KSRTC is unable to operate the existing services properly. According to the officials, an average of 22 trips is being cancelled due to the shortage of drivers. The situation arose after the mass retirement of employees from KSRTC in March. As filling these vacancies through PSC examinations is time-consuming, the KSRTC authorities approached the Employment Exchange at the district headquarters for the purpose. Even now there is a dearth of drivers in KSRTC.

The plight of passengers in the city has turned from bad to worse, with many of the private buses ceasing services. According to private bus owners, the entry of Thiru-Kochi buses had affected them adversely.

“Around 100 private buses operating in the city ceased services during the last one year. While, we have to keep the time limit for covering specific distances, there is no such restriction for the KSRTC buses,” said M B Sathyan, general secretary, Private Bus Operators Association.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/thiru-koc...13-60-122.html

=======================================

I am sure, the new transport minister has his own interests... So its almost slow death for ThiruKochi......

[mohammedirshad06]

The existing bus stop at Vyttila for Tripunithura-bound buses has been shifted to Vyttila Mobility hub.

Buses coming from Tripunithura side would be diverted via bypass to enter the city, a statement said. Buses bound for Vaikom, Tripunithura, Kottayam and Muvattupuzha will take a left turn from Vyttila signal to enter the Mobility hub.

Meanwhile, the Regional Transport Authority has received application for shifting of bus stops near Woodland showroom and bus stops for buses bound from Tripunithara and Cherthala to mobility hub.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bus-stop-...10-60-122.html

[DileepKS]

Clarification: The eastbound buses will turn left BEFORE the signal, go parallel to the main bypass lanes, and stay left to get to the underpass of the overbridge. They will not cross the main lanes of bypass.

[sajith]

Courtesy:metrovaartha
http://www.metrovaartha.com/2011/08/...ETRO-RAIL.html

[bijuarr]

Still Kottayam bound buses starts from Kaloor. Why not it terminate at VMH? Now VMH is just like a passing through stop only.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by bijuarr

Still Kottayam bound buses starts from Kaloor. Why not it terminate at VMH? Now VMH is just like a passing through stop only.

Its a pain to reach Vyttila - perhaps thats the reason. Kottayam bound buses were being terminated at Kathrikkadavu for some time - it only created more problems for passengers.

I think new Kaloor-Kathrikadavu-VMH buses should be started - ideally, Kaloor should be converted to a hub for city buses. Instead of running Aluva-Fort Kochi buses, they should be split down to ALV-Kaloor and Kaloor-Fort Kochi. (I know it'll create hurdles for passengers - but that will go a long way in reducing road chaos, since buses will no longer have to jostle to complete their trips on time).

Once Kaloor-Kathrikadavu-Vyttila buses are started, all long distance buses from Kaloor should be shifted to Vyttila (even the ones go towards Kakkanad/Guruvayur should be shifted there - unless we have another bigger bus station at Edappally).

Decentralising of mofussil buses is the way to go for Kochi. They have no business in the city - they should be terminated outside the core areas of the city. City roads should have only city buses (This includes KSRTC services).

[Malayaali]

Good response to Bus Day from city commuters

Buses plying on the Vyttila-Vyttila circular route and those going to the eastern side of the city like Tripunithura and from there to other towns were allowed to enter the mobility hub on Wednesday.

Till now only KSRTC buses were being allowed into the hub.

Also on Wednesday, an initiative, as part of the monthly Bus Day celebrations, to select the best decorated bus in the city got enthusiastic response and ‘Golden Sand,' plying on the Vyttila-Vyttila circular route won the honours for the month.

The choice was made by a large gathering of commuters at the Vyttila Mobility Hub on Wednesday morning, when private buses entered the hub for the first time since it was established early this year.

The commuters were joined in by officials from the Motor Vehicles Department, Centre for Public Policy Research, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mobility Hub Society, and Red FM, who were also partners in the organisation of the Bus Day celebrations. Benny Behnan, MLA, and Tony Chammany, Mayor of the Corporation of Cochin, were special guests at the occasion. The prize for the best bus will be given away at the Bus Day celebrations in September.

Another event that marked the Bus Day celebrations on Wednesday was the release of a book ‘Know Your Kochi' by P. K. Prakashan, an enthusiastic lover of Kochi and its network of buses.

He told The Hindu that he took two years to write the book that described the bus routes in the city and its immediate suburbs, complete with the names of the bus stops.

He hopes that this will be a proper guide to those unfamiliar or confused over going about the city using its bus services.

Prakashan, hailing from Puthukkalavattam, Elamakkara, is a private company employee and began the book as a guide for his children, he said.

The book is priced at Rs.40 and will be available through residents' associations and at the office of the Corporation of Cochin, District Collectorate, select bookshops and at bus stations, he added.

Efforts are being made to use the mobility hub at Vyttila as the focus of decongesting the city by use of the buses. As part of a scheme to attract commuters using private vehicles, especially cars, car owners were offered parking facility at the mobility hub.

A test of the new scheme will be during the Onam season, when the rush of shoppers usually congests the arterial roads in the city.

The Hindu

[Malayaali]

cc: Manorama

[mohammedirshad06]

[mohammedirshad06]

What use of going to IIM-K, when both Corporation and KSRTC are running by fools!!!!

With the first phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) projects set to end soon, chances of Kochi getting more low-floor A/C buses have become dim.

It is learnt that owing to the delay in payment, Volvo has decided not to deliver more buses to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram this year. Of the 80 buses allotted to both the cities, 62 has been delivered so far. Among them, 42 are conducting services in Kochi and 20 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Sources in Volvo said the company would deliver buses to the cities after the dues were cleared.

“However, the payment for the last set of buses which were delivered is yet to be cleared and the company has decided not to deliver the remaining buses,” sources said.

Though 80 buses were sanctioned for both the cities, the KSRTC had earlier decided to restrict the number of buses in Thiruvananthapuram to 20, owing to the poor response. It had also planned to roll out the remaining number of buses in Kochi.

However, a Corporation official said that the civic body was unaware of the issue.

“Since the state government has not formed the special purpose vehicle (SPV) at the time of the launch of the buses, their operation is fully controlled by the KSRTC itself. They will not discuss any developments in this regard with the Corporation,” the official said.

“The buses were introduced as part of the public transport project under the JNNURM. The formation of the SPV for the management of these buses is mandatory as per the JNNURM guidelines. But the KSRTC has ignored this and conducted operations according to its plans,” the official said.
Parking lot getting ready

Kochi: The KSRTC has started land filling at the 3.5 acres it owns at Thevara for parking low-floor A/C buses.

The work of the new garage is expected to be completed on a war-footing as the KSRTC is finding it difficult to find space for the buses at the existing depot in Ernakulam.

The KSRTC has already handed over one acre of its land near the existing garage for the construction of a new rail overbridge (RoB) connecting Rajaji Road to Salim Rajan Road. This will further limit the parking space of the existing depot.

“The preliminary works, including land filling, have already been started in Thevara. We expect to complete the work within the stipulated time,” said P L Jose, KSRTC zonal officer. Jose said the KSRTC was considering the options to shift the base of Thiru Kochi buses to Thevara. “The authorities are considering both options. However, whether to shift Thiru Kochi buses or low-floor buses is yet to be finalised,“ said Jose.

Apart from facilities like garage, the rest rooms for the crew will also be constructed in the depot.

[mohammedirshad06]

നഗരത്തില്* സര്*വീസ് നടത്തുന്ന തിരുകൊച്ചിക്കും ലോഫ്ളോര്* എസി ബസുകള്*ക്കും തേവരയില്* പുതിയ സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് വരുന്നു. സ്ഥലപരിമിതിയില്* വീര്*പ്പുമുട്ടുന്ന എറണാകുളത്തെ മുഖ്യ സ്റ്റാന്*ഡില്*നിന്നു വൈകാതെ സിറ്റി ബസുകള്* തേവരയിലേക്കു മാറ്റും.

കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിയുടെ ഉടമസ്ഥതയില്* ഇവിടെയുള്ള അഞ്ചേക്കര്* ഭൂമിയില്* ബസ് സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് കം പാര്*ക്കിങ് യാര്*ഡ് നിര്*മാണത്തിനുള്ള പ്രാഥമിക നടപടികള്* തുടങ്ങി.

39 തിരുകൊച്ചി ബസുകള്*ക്കും 42 ലോഫ്ളോര്* എസി ബസുകള്*ക്കും വേണ്ടിയാണു നഗരമധ്യത്തില്* പുതിയ ബസ് സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് ഒരുങ്ങുന്നത്.

സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് നിര്*മാണത്തിനുള്ള ബ്ലൂപ്രിന്*റ് കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി തയാറാക്കി. നിര്*മാണത്തിനു ടെന്*ഡര്* ക്ഷണിക്കുന്നതടക്കമുള്ള നടപടികള്* ഉടനുണ്ടാകും. നിര്*മാണം പൂര്*ത്തിയാകുന്നതോടെ വൈറ്റില ബസ് ടെര്*മിനലുമായും നഗര പ്രാന്തപ്രദേശങ്ങളുമായും ബന്ധിപ്പിച്ച് ഇവിടെനിന്നു സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കാനാകും.

തേവര ഫെറിക്കു സമീപം സംസ്ഥാന ജലഗതാഗത വകുപ്പിന്*റെ ബോട്ട് യാര്*ഡിനോടു ചേര്*ന്നുള്ള അഞ്ചേക്കറില്* മൂന്നര ഏക്കറോളം ഭൂമിയാണ് ബസ് സ്റ്റാന്*ഡിനു വേണ്ടി തയാറാക്കുന്നത്.

മെറ്റലും ഗ്രാവലും ഉപയോഗിച്ചുള്ള നിലംഉറപ്പിക്കല്* ജോലികള്* ഉടന്* പൂര്*ത്തിയാകും. കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിയുടെ ഒരു സ്റ്റേഷന്* മാസ്റ്റര്* ഓഫിസ് ഇവിടെ പ്രവര്*ത്തിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. സ്റ്റാന്*ഡും പാര്*ക്കിങ് സൗകര്യവും തയാറാകുന്നതോടെ നഗരത്തിലെ സിറ്റി സര്*വീസ് ഈ സ്റ്റേഷന്*റെ കീഴിലാകും.

ഗോശ്രീ - വല്ലാര്*പാടം റൂട്ടിലോടുന്ന 20 എണ്ണമടക്കം 70 തിരുകൊച്ചി ബസുകളാണ് ഇപ്പോള്* കൊച്ചിയില്* സര്*വീസ് നടത്തുന്നത്.

ഇതില്* 39 എണ്ണം എറണാകുളം ഡിപ്പോയില്* നിന്നുള്ളതാണ്. ഇതിനു പുറമേ ജനറം ഫണ്ടില്*നിന്നു ലഭിച്ച 42 ലോഫ്ളോര്* എസി ബസുകളും ആറു നോണ്* എസി ബസുകളും എറണാകുളത്തുനിന്നു സര്*വീസ് നടത്തുന്നു.

സര്*വീസിനു ശേഷം ഈ ബസുകള്* പാര്*ക്ക് ചെയ്യാന്* സ്ഥലമില്ലാത്ത അവസ്ഥയാണിപ്പോള്*.

കാരിക്കാമുറിയില്* കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിക്കുള്ള ഭൂമിയില്* ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്*ക്കൊപ്പം കുറേ തിരുകൊച്ചി ബസുകളും സ്റ്റേ ചെയ്യാറുണ്ടെങ്കിലും ലോഫ്ളോര്* ബസുകളെല്ലാം സ്റ്റാന്*ഡില്*ത്തന്നെ നിരത്തിയിടുകയേ വഴിയുള്ളൂ. ഇതു സ്റ്റാന്*ഡില്* രാത്രിയെത്തുന്ന ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്*ക്കു മാര്*ഗതടസം സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.

ഈ പ്രശ്നത്തിനു ശാശ്വത പരിഹാരമെന്ന നിലയ്ക്കാണു സിറ്റി സര്*വീസിനു മാത്രമായി തേവരയില്* പുതിയ സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് നിര്*മിക്കുന്നത്.

സലിംരാജന്* മേല്*പ്പാലത്തിന്*റെ നിര്*മാണം പൂര്*ത്തിയാകുന്നതോടെ ഇപ്പോള്* മുഖ്യ സ്റ്റാന്*ഡിലുണ്ടാകുന്ന തിരക്കു വീണ്ടും കൂടുമെന്നു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി സോണല്* ഓഫിസര്* പി.എല്*. ജോസ് ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടി. ഇതുകൂടി കണക്കിലെടുത്താണ് തേവരയില്* സിറ്റി ബസുകള്*ക്കായി സ്റ്റാന്*ഡ് നിര്*മിക്കുന്നത്.

തേവരയിലെ ലാന്*ഡ് ഫില്ലിങ് ജോലികള്* ഏറെക്കുറേ പൂര്*ത്തിയായെന്നും മറ്റു നടപടികള്* വൈകാതെ ആരംഭിക്കുമെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞു.

All city buses including Thirukochi and Low Floor services will soon move to upcoming Thevera Bus stand. The main station which is reeling under heavy traffic pressure, cannot accommodate the increased KSRTC Buses.

The bus stand will be coming up in 5 acres of land, which will have a modern bus stand and parking yard. 39 Thirukochi Buses and 42 low floor buses will be stationed here.

KSRTC already prepared the blueprint and tender process will carried immediately. Once completed, buses will connect to VMH and other suburbs from the facility.

The station is coming up in land owned by SWTD's Ferry station-Thevera.

Currently land-filling and levelling the land is carried out with metal and gravel, to create parking yard in war-footing. This is accommodate buses which are parked elsewhere, due to shortage of parking facilities during night.

[mohammedirshad06]

New car owners are keen to flaunt their number plate too.

And the best way for that in the Ernakulam district is to get it registered in Kochi so that the new car gets a KL-7 tag.

The city has been a big buyer of hot wheels for long time in the state.

While other towns in the district like Muvattupuzha (KL-17), Trippunithura (KL-39), Perumbavoor (KL-40), Aluva (KL-41), North Paravoor (KL-42), Mattancheri (KL-43) and Kothamangalam (KL-44) have just single alphabet extension code like ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ for new registrations are less, Kochi has jumped to double alphabet and the present code is ‘BS’.

For one, to own a vehicle with a ‘KL-7 BS’ registration is without doubt stylish than a ‘KL-39 C’ tag.

But this has put the RTO officials in the city in trouble as most often people use a temporary residential address or office address in the city to get the vehicle. That involves more paper work.

Amid the issues like less manpower in the department, RTO officials in the city have to crosscheck the address proofs.

“People outside the corporation going in for KL-7 registration has made things difficult for us. We have to verify their permanent and temporary address which is extra job. There is no provision for us to deny their application. And when 100 requests come like this, the whole process naturally gets slower”, a senior official in the RTO said.

It is a tough job for the buyer too, who has to run from post to pillar to finally get their vehicle registration. But, they do not mind it as long as they get the ‘KL-7’ tag, he adds.

Vehicles bought by non-Keralites working here, especially by those in Infopark, have also added to the burden of the officials. Verifying their permanent address in remote North Indian districts has been a headache for the officials as it takes months to get things confirmed.

“We are forced to approve the registration without much verification now. But, if these automobiles get involved in any crimes, we would be in trouble”, the officials said

[GanG2245]

Dumb article by deccan chronocle....understood the quality..

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by GanG2245

Dumb article by deccan chronocle....understood the quality..

I don't think so, considering the fact the number of rising number vehicles on the road, making it too congested. Despite of bificurication of Ernakulam district into several RTO number series, yet the registration for KL-7 is going beyond BS, which means its surely has meaning, unless you are in denial mood.

Recently Actor Dileep brought a new BMW, which too was registered with KL-7, despite of the fact (The car was shown in Indiavision's Fast Drive), Dileep is not resident of Cochin Corporation limits. He could have registered with his permanent address in Aluva, rather registered probably with his Marine Drive flat address. Another example would be Joy Alukkas, who sometime back registered Kerala's first Smartcar in Kochi, despite of the fact he is not a Kochi resident (his permanent address is naturally in Thrissur).

Several such instances were known. Perhaps I don't understand much, whats so big with KL-7. I am anyway not much interested in number plate mania, but there are many people like....

[mohammedirshad06]

After months of deliberations, the authorities have decided to conduct a trial run of traffic regulation to facilitate demolition of the North Railway Overbridge.

District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said the trial run would begin on Saturday.
Kochi Metro rail project nodal officer Tom Jose confirmed that the proposed trial run would be carried out as per the earlier decision.

The roads running parallel to the Banerjee Road and those around the north ROB will see increased traffic once the traffic diversion is implemented. But so far no concrete steps have been taken to repair these roads which have been suggested as alternative routes.

According to the regulations proposed by the Kochi city police, light vehicles coming from the Aluva side will be diverted to MG Road via Thammanam and Kathrikkadavu junctions. Some vehicles would be diverted to Thammanam Junction from Palarivattom to proceed along Thammanam-Pullepady Road to reach C P Ummer Road and Chittoor Road before touching MG Road.

The police have suggested two more routes: One from the main road in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the other at Kaloor Junction to reach Kathrikkadavu Junction.

The proposed regulations suggest two routes for vehicles going out of the city.

• One route is an exit towards Edappally touching Pachalam-Pottakuzhi-Elamakkara and Edappally.
  
  
• The other is a diversion from MG Road to Veekshanam Road and then on to Thammanam-Pullepady Road. The proposed regulation notice states that vehicles coming from Kaloor to Ernakulam Town Railway Station should divert to Manapatty Parambu, then turn left to SRM Road to reach the station’s eastern entry.

Though it provides an alternative road, there is no parking space near the station’s eastern gate. But ambiguity prevails as the authorities concerned are yet to arrive at a consensus on various aspects related to the proposal. The traffic police and the Kochi Corporation Town Planning department are of the opinion that the regulations should be implemented only after repairing the roads on alternative routes.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bridge-de...13-60-122.html

[bijuarr]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

New car owners are keen to flaunt their number plate too.

While other towns in the district like Muvattupuzha (KL-17), Trippunithura (KL-39), Perumbavoor (KL-40), Aluva (KL-41), North Paravoor (KL-42), Mattancheri (KL-43) and Kothamangalam (KL-44) have just single alphabet

Dear MI....you missed Angamaly (KL 63).

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by bijuarr

Dear MI....you missed Angamaly (KL 63).

I didn't miss, but DC Journalists/reporters missed it... The article came in DC-Kochi newspaper....

[RKPV]

There is nothing much to trial here... I would definitely a chaos!!! They should have cleared those uncountable potholes before the trail.

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

After months of deliberations, the authorities have decided to conduct a trial run of traffic regulation to facilitate demolition of the North Railway Overbridge.

District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said the trial run would begin on Saturday.
Kochi Metro rail project nodal officer Tom Jose confirmed that the proposed trial run would be carried out as per the earlier decision.

The roads running parallel to the Banerjee Road and those around the north ROB will see increased traffic once the traffic diversion is implemented. But so far no concrete steps have been taken to repair these roads which have been suggested as alternative routes.

According to the regulations proposed by the Kochi city police, light vehicles coming from the Aluva side will be diverted to MG Road via Thammanam and Kathrikkadavu junctions. Some vehicles would be diverted to Thammanam Junction from Palarivattom to proceed along Thammanam-Pullepady Road to reach C P Ummer Road and Chittoor Road before touching MG Road.

The police have suggested two more routes: One from the main road in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the other at Kaloor Junction to reach Kathrikkadavu Junction.

The proposed regulations suggest two routes for vehicles going out of the city.

• One route is an exit towards Edappally touching Pachalam-Pottakuzhi-Elamakkara and Edappally.
  
  
• The other is a diversion from MG Road to Veekshanam Road and then on to Thammanam-Pullepady Road. The proposed regulation notice states that vehicles coming from Kaloor to Ernakulam Town Railway Station should divert to Manapatty Parambu, then turn left to SRM Road to reach the station’s eastern entry.

Though it provides an alternative road, there is no parking space near the station’s eastern gate. But ambiguity prevails as the authorities concerned are yet to arrive at a consensus on various aspects related to the proposal. The traffic police and the Kochi Corporation Town Planning department are of the opinion that the regulations should be implemented only after repairing the roads on alternative routes.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bridge-de...13-60-122.html

[RKPV]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

New car owners are keen to flaunt their number plate too.

And the best way for that in the Ernakulam district is to get it registered in Kochi so that the new car gets a KL-7 tag.

The article is hyped and partially dump. Also, there are peoples like me,last month brought a scotter for family, instead getting the KL 7 BS tag using EKM address, brought it from native.